Everyone Needs a Birthday
by Bookworm Gal
Summary: Everyone Annabelle knows has a birthday. Except for one special person. She intends to fix that. Part of my "Black Crayons" stories.


**Welcome back, dear fans. Another "Black Crayon" story is here. I watched the new Transformer movie (which was awesome) and it inspired me. This one occurs after "Parent-Teacher Conference" but before "Baby-sitting, Take Two." As before, this story can be read alone, but is better with the other stories. Check out my profile for the listed order of the stories because I wrote them out of order. This one is simply a child's curiosity concerning her friend.**

Everyone Needs a Birthday

Annabelle looked up at the tall, metallic shape of her best friend. He had always been there. For as long as she could remember, the transformed truck had been part of her family. Currently, he was examining his cannons. He loved his cannons so strongly and always maintained them. Annabelle loved the noise they made when her giant companion manipulated them.

"Ironhide, when is your birthday?" she asked. "I have a birthday. Mommy and Daddy have birthdays. All the kids at school have birthdays. When is yours?"

The Autobot stared down at the child. After a moment, he answered slowly.

"Annabelle, Cybertronians do not really celebrate 'birthdays' like humans do. Besides, our measurement of time does not really match up with yours."

The girl tilted her head as she considered his words. She understood that he was from very far away. She knew Ironhide's home was so different than Earth. It made sense many things would be different. But birthdays?

"Everyone needs a birthday, Ironhide. Otherwise you can't have a birthday party. And those are fun. You get to see all your friends and family. They give you presents and cake." She grinned as she remembered her robotic friend didn't eat cake or things like that. "And you get to play games and have fun. You need a birthday."

Ironhide apparently was beginning to recognize the start of a losing fight. He was never one to back down from a challenge. Even one against a determined preschooler.

"I have seen a few of your 'birthday parties,' and I can see a few problems with me having one. You represent the years of your life with the lighting of small wax primitive light devices and extinguishing them. As your age increases, so does the number of these devices on your baked food covered in a sweet glaze; 'cake'. However, the number of such devices that would be required to represent my lifespan thus far would be far too great to fit upon any 'cake' your mother would be able to prepare."

"That's okay," Annabelle grinned up at the Cybertronian, enjoying the fact she could find a good argument for his objections. "On Grandma's birthday, we put one candle on the cake instead of lots. We can do that for you too."

"Alright," he conceded that point, but Ironhide wasn't done yet. "But your 'birthday' is always on the same day each year. If I did convert to your calendar, what day would I select since the length of Earth's revolution does not match with Cybertron's?"

The girl was used to puzzling out Ironhide's more elaborate phrasing and understood after a moment her friend's new excuse.

"You can share with me! I don't mind if you have the same birthday as me. That way you can have a birthday and no one will forget when it is cause it will be on the same day as me."

The robot, trying to find another way to get out of Annabelle's determined plan, reasoned, "But on your 'birthday,' your mother said your classmates would be attending your party this year. How would I be able to have my 'birthday' at the same time as you?"

This slowed Annabelle down. Before she started preschool, the only people at her birthday parties were her parents and Ironhide. Now she would be inviting everyone in her class. Suzie would be fun to have. Carl would be less so. She was still mad at him for her scary stories about how aliens were evil monsters. She got in trouble for hitting that boy, but it was worth it. She still didn't tell Ironhide why she was so mad at Carl. Annabelle loved her giant robotic friend too much to let him know how mean that boy was. Still, the kids at school wouldn't slow down her enthusiasm to include her best friend.

"My party with my friends from school can be in the morning and yours can be in the afternoon after they leave. Don't worry; we have some time until it's my birthday. And your birthday too. We can figure it out later," she giggled as his head dropped in resign.

"Everyone needs a birthday?" he asked carefully.

Annabelle nodded happily, "Of course. Even you, Ironhide."

"And there is no way you will consider letting me get out of it, is there?"

"Nope."

The giant Cybertronian, the Autobot weapon specialist, felt himself bend to the will of the small, human child. He shifted his cannons slightly, and shook his head slightly. Decepticons have nothing on preschoolers. Annabelle smiled sweetly at him.

"Very well. I will share your 'birthday,' Annabelle."

**I may write about the birthday itself at a later date. I also have another idea for a "Black Crayons" story I might do as well. But it is always fun to see a giant robot be bullied around by a young child.**


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